Council push for closure of Bishop’s Bridge

Aberdeenshire Council is recommending that Bishop's Bridge be closed to traffic.

Aberdeenshire Council will recommend to councillors this week that a historic North East bridge be closed to traffic.

Bishop’s Bridge near Cruden Bay has been closed more than once over the winter following road traffic accidents which damaged the structure.

Now Aberdeenshire Council’s director of infrastructure serivces, Stephen Archer, will recommend that Buchan Area Committee approve the closure of the 17th century bridge.

Mr Archer’s report suggests the councillors begin the process of making a Prohibition of Vehicular Traffic Order and, barring any objections, close it altogether.

The ‘B’ listed structure, which is only 2.4 metres wide and has a weight limit of three tonnes, was closed for emergency repairs after a vehicle demolished the downstream parapet on the weekend of November 16 and 17 last year.

Another accident on January 10 forced it to be shut again.

In the report, prepared by Alan Burns, states: “The cost of maintaining this structure, given its listing, is significant and the frequency of damage, especially parapet damage, recently has led to concerns regarding the possibility that some of this damage is caused by large vehicles ignoring the width and weight restriction and using the route as a ‘rat-run’ from the TR A90 to the A975 and Newburgh.”

The Prohibition of Vehicular Traffic Order would limit access to the bridge to pedestrians, cyclists and solo motorbike riders.

Car and lorry drivers can take an alternative route from Cruden Bay via the A975.